Joshua's Best Margaritas

Joshua and Gloria, our Tex-Mex neighbors, have a powerful connection with Mexico. Perhaps you’ve tried Gloria’s wildly popular family recipe for Mexican salsa. If not, we highly recommend you do.

Joshua knows more about Texas, Mexico and tequila than anyone else we know. His margaritas are unforgettable, and especially his famous cherry-limeade margaritas. On one of our frequent visits to their home, where we consumed heaping helpings of homemade Mexican food and Joshua’s perfect margaritas, I decided to hit him up for the recipe.

Joshua is a goldmine of information. So first, he regurgitated a wealth of facts about tequila. In the following interview with Joshua, he expertly answers the following questions: Why does tequila have such a bad rap? Are manufacturers doing anything to improve tequila's reputation? Is expensive tequila necessarily better tasting? What complements tequila and lime juice better than triple sec? How can I quickly and easily salt the rims of the margarita glasses?

Vespa Woolf Interviews Joshua

Vespa: Joshua, why does tequila have such a bad reputation?

Joshua: It’s a shame, really. Tequila isn’t frat parties, Pee Wee Herman and Tijuana. Do you remember the bottles of tequila with a worm floating in the bottom? Bad marketing ploy. The worm was never an original element of tequila. Sure, it worked in the short-term. (“Gross…look at this…try it!”) But then the bad reputation stuck. No self-respecting tequila manufacturer puts a worm in their tequila.

Vespa: What are tequila manufacturers doing to overcome this stigma?

Joshua: There’s a lot of money in Texas. Tequila is an exploding industry and it’s now marketed for the elegant, the refined, the hoity-toity. There are as many brands of tequila in Texas as wineries in Napa Valley. It appeals to ritzy Texas subculture. You know, Texas country music, Paul Bond cowboy boots and expensive tequila. Descriptions read like wine labels: aroma of green apple with toasted caramel nuances. These guys know their tequila.

Vespa: So which tequila is the best? Is expensive necessarily better?

Joshua: Price isn’t the determining factor in good quality tequila. Gold label means wine is added….cheap wine. It’ll give you a headache. Some people recommend silver tequila, but silver tequilas have no character. Tequila is all about where it’s made: Texas and Northern Mexico. That’s a very harsh environment. Drinking tequila is drinking Texas. Cactus, scorpions and rattlesnakes. The land is trying to kill you! Tequila, like Texas, is harsh, raw, earthy.

Tequila made with 40% blue agave is made with 60% trash. That’s why tequila has a bad rep for a horrible hangover. If you want good tequila follow one simple rule. Buy 100% blue agave in a glass bottle. Never buy tequila sold in a plastic bottle. You should be able to find 100% blue agave starting at $25/bottle. This is just a launching point. Try different labels and judge the flavor for yourself. Never, ever buy Jose Cuervo. Jose Cuervo is ruining the tequila market.

Joshua: (a glint in his eye) Have you ever had a margarita that tasted like chemicals? That’s the triple sec. Have you ever sipped triple sec? I didn’t think so. Yuck! Lime juice complements tequila. But orange liqueur? It just obscures tequila, makes it mediocre. I’ve found the perfect complement to tequila and lime juice. Are you ready for the secret ingredient? (Joshua leaned forward, hands clenched between the knees of his worn jeans.)

Vespa: The suspense is killing me. (laughs)

Joshua: The secret is amaretto liqueur, preferably Disaronno. That’s what gives it the cherry limeade flavor, not cherries. Disaronno amps up the lime flavor. That’s all it is: fresh squeezed Key lime juice, 100% blue agave tequila and Disaronno. Add simple syrup if you like them sweeter. I don’t. The amaretto liqueur is enough for me. And you can’t beat the flavor.

Vespa: I can testify to that!

Joshua: Someday a Texan will invent an amaretto liqueur just for mixing with tequila: perfectly Tex-Mex. Until then, we’ll have to settle for Disaronno. Add a touch of Grenadine for pretty color, although it doesn’t add much flavor.

Vespa: You salt the margarita rims so expertly. What’s your secret?

Joshua: Don’t bother with margarita salt. Buy kosher salt. Pour it onto a plate. For extra pizzazz, use a microplaner to grate a little lime rind into it. Then wet the rims with lime juice and dip them in the lime salt. That’s all there is to it.

Vespa: Your on-the-rocks margaritas are awesome. But how can I make frozen margaritas?

Joshua: Add 4 cups of small ice cubes and blend the be-Jesus out of it. I can’t emphasize this enough. I read once that you shouldn’t over blend. That’s just ridiculous. You can’t blend a frozen margarita enough. Blend until you’re bored of blending. Blend for a minute or two. The blender won’t get too hot. Instead, moisture will condense and freeze on the container. Now you have the perfect frozen margarita.

Vespa: That’s great Joshua! Thanks so much for sharing your secret recipe with us. Do you have any closing advice?

Joshua: Don’t bother to ask a Texan where he’s from. If he’s from Texas, he would have told you already. God Bless Texas. (with a final tip of his cowboy hat)

Joshua's Tips for the Best Margaritas

Choose 100% blue agave tequila for best flavor and no headaches.

Disaronno is the best tasting amaretto liqueur, but it's also expensive. For a more economical option try "Homemade Amaretto Liqueur" recipe at the bottom of this page.

Fresh-squeezed Key lime juice is important to the flavor of this recipe .You can also substitute the larger limes common in U.S. grocery stores, but the flavor won't be quite the same.

Grate lime peel into kosher salt with a microplaner for homemade lime salt.

Rub glass rims with used lime halves and dip in lime salt.

For frozen margaritas, blend the be-Jesus out of it! Don't be afraid to blend for 1-2 minutes.

Comments

To comment on this article, you must sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

PeggyW, thanks for adding these margaritas to your drink board! I just love Pinterest. : )

Peggy Woods

5 years agofrom Houston, Texas

I created a board for drinks on Pinterest and am adding this one about making margaritas to it. Thanks again for writing this!

loveofnight

5 years agofrom Baltimore, Maryland

i really want to try a Margarita even more now.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Margaritas are very refreshing. Of course, limeade is also refreshing and it doesn't contain alcohol! Thanks for dropping by.

Mackenzie Sage Wright

5 years ago

I love margaritas so much; I just can't drink anymore due to medication, but here where it's hot in Florida it was so refreshing on my day off to just sit out on the porch or by the pool with a margarita. I barely use my blender anymore, lol.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

JustAskSusan, thank you so much for thinking of me!!

Susan Zutautas

5 years agofrom Ontario, Canada

Just stopped back in to wish you a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

DDE, I hope you can try this special margarita sometime. Thanks for your comment!

Absolutely informative and a well written hub. Thank for the same. Voted UP

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

GlimmerTwinFan, I hope you can give this high-quality Tex-Mex Margarita a try! It is the perfect treat for a hot summer day. Thank you for coming by and have a good week.

Claudia Mitchell

5 years ago

Wow - that looks refreshing on these hot summer days. I enjoy a good margarita, unfortunately I have had some really bad ones over the years so it is not on my list of favorites. May have to give one of these recipes a try!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Cardisa, I hope you get a chance to use these recipes sometime. I'm sure the mock margaritas were still delicious...anything with lime juice is good in my book. : ) Thank you for coming by! It's always nice to see you.

Carolee Samuda

5 years agofrom Jamaica

Thanks for the Amaretto recipe. On my birthday last month I could not find that liquor anywhere. I had to make mock Margaritas and try to figure out what went in them on my own. They didn't taste quite as good as the real thing but they passed anyway...lol

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

alocsin, I'm sure you can swing making this special margarita. Enjoy and thanks for your support and votes!

Aurelio Locsin

5 years agofrom Orange County, CA

I always thought margaritas were far more complicated to make. But it sounds like something that even I can do. Voting this Up and Useful.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

anglnwu, I'm glad you learned something from the interview and hope you won't be drinking anymore cheap tequila! I appreciate your support and the stars. : )

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Om Paramapoonya, I'm glad this margarita recipe put you in a party mood! Have fun with it and thanks for your comment.

anglnwu

5 years ago

This is amazing. Love the picture and the interview--learn so much from it. Now, I know why I get headaches from margaritas--they use cheap tequila. Thanks for this fantastic-awesome-margaritastic hub. Rated up, of course.

Om Paramapoonya

5 years ago

What a delightful hub! I appreciate the recipes, tips, interview and everything. Thanks a lot. This hub has put me in a party mood. I love me some margarita!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Vickiw, I'm glad you enjoyed this information and the recipes. The amaretto is so easy and inexpensive. I always enjoy hearing from you! Have a great week.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Toytasting, I'm glad you enjoy Margaritas and hope you can try this recipe someday. Thank you for coming by!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

AliciaC, I'm glad you enjoyed this information on margaritas and tequila. The homemade amaretto is delicious and inexpensive to make, too. Thanks for your nice comment!

Vickiw

5 years ago

Loved your method of presenting this, Vespa, with the interview! Great job. The margaritas sound delicious, and your information was so comprehensive. I can hardly believe that amaretto liqueur can be made o easily! Thanks for this.

Toy Tasting

5 years agofrom Mumbai

I am a big fan of Margaritas. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. The pictures are beautiful, makes me want to taste it right away. Cheers :)

Linda Crampton

5 years agofrom British Columbia, Canada

This is a very interesting hub, vespawoolf! I don't know much tequila or margaritas, but the information in your article is entertaining and useful. I love the photos, too - especially the first one!

Eric Dierker

5 years agofrom Spring Valley, CA. U.S.A.

Wow buddy, I kept following this, and the comments are awesome. Be proud of a great hub. Boozing it up has such a bad rap, like Tequila. But you show us it is all in the love baby. I sure the heck am glad I follow you.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Deborah-Diane, thank you for sharing that sweet memory of your Dallas afternoons. What a great way to enjoy margaritas! I really appreciate the vote.

Deborah-Diane

5 years agofrom Orange County, California

These recipes for Margaritas sound wonderful. We used to live in Texas in a suburban neighborhood of Dallas. Every Friday afternoon the wives took turns whipping up a pitcher of Margaritas. Then we would relax on the front porch of someone's house, watch our children play on the front lawns, and wait for our husbands to get home. I have pleasant memories of Margaritas! Voted UP ... Awesome!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

rajan jolly, thanks for the comment, vote and share!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Lindacee, what a well-thought-out and meaningful comment! I'm glad you learned a lot about tequila and margaritas. Interviewing Joshua was a fun way to research this topic. Thanks so much for your votes and support!

Rajan Singh Jolly

5 years agofrom From Mumbai, presently in Jalandhar,INDIA.

Very interesting read. The margarita looks very tempting. Voted up and shared.

Linda Chechar

5 years agofrom Arizona

What a fun-filled, information-packed Hub, vespa! I learned so much about tequila and margaritas. I'm not much of a tequila drinker, but this definitely makes me crave an ice cold margarita on a hot Vegas afternoon! No triple sec or cointreau though. From now on, I'll ask for one made with amaretto! Voted up, useful and awesome! :)

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Peggy W, I'm glad you enjoyed the interview with Joshua and the recipes. I find the homemade amaretto so simple and inexpensive! I hope you can try one soon. : ) As always, thank you for your support.

Peggy Woods

5 years agofrom Houston, Texas

I loved the interview with Joshua. He seems to know his tequila! Seeing that icy glass of margarita at the top made me think that it is about time that I have one sometime soon. Thanks also for the recipe for making homemade Amaretto. Love the flavor of that liquor but have never made it from scratch. It certainly sounds simple enough and would be economical. UUI votes and definitely sharing. :)

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

rebeccamealey, I'm glad you appreciated this information on tequila. I appreciate your support! Have a great weekend.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

truthfornow, thanks for coming by.

Rebecca Mealey

5 years agofrom Northeastern Georgia, USA

Yum. Makes me want to waste away in Margaritaville. This is a really interesting look at the quality of fine liquors mixed into wonderful recipes.

Marie Hurt

5 years agofrom New Orleans, LA

Cherry limeade without cherries, sounds interesting. Good tips.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

ladydeonne, I'm glad you're going to try Joshua's margarita! Please let us know what you think if you have a chance. I appreciate your meaningful comment and the vote and share! Thanks for coming by.

Deonne Anderson

5 years agofrom Florence, SC

Wow! Your photo of a margarita at the beginning of your hub is beautiful!

I love and only drink margaritas. I have never purchased tequila and am not knowledgeable of the different brands. I just know a good margarita from a bad margarita and have my favorite restaurants to consume them. I plan to try Joshua's recipes. Wish he lived in my neighborhood. Great hub and very "refreshing." Voted up and shared.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

epbooks, I understand what you mean. There's nothing worse than cheap tequila! But there are some excellent and not too expensive choices out there nowadays. You might not even recognize it as the same liquor. : ) Thanks for your comment!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

rose-the-planner, I've never sampled the tequila worm but I have friends who say they've tasted it. Yuck! Thanks for the comment and vote!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Ralph Deeds, I'll try your tip of substituting tequila for white wine. You're the second commenter to mention it, so I believe there must be something to that formula. ; ) Thanks for taking the time to come by and enjoy the weekend!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

SuzieHQ, as always I appreciate your support even when the recipe isn't your favorite! You could try substituting the tequila for ginger ale (I'm not sure what you call that in the UK) if you'd like a lighter drink. Thanks for all the votes, pin, etc. Have a wonderful weekend and take some long walks with your partner and doggie!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Gypsy48, thanks for taking the time to come by! I appreciate the comment and vote.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Ericdierker, you're right about the difference between Baja Mexican food and Tex-Mex. I love them both! Maybe it's better that my Texan and you don't meet up. : ) Thanks for coming by! Have a great weekend.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Jackie Lynnley, you could try a limeade made from Key lime juice and add a touch of almond extract for flavor. : ) with a salty or even sugary rim, you'll never miss the tequila! Thanks for your support!

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

NMLady, I've never tried white wine margaritas but I'm sure they're delicious. I have a friend who can't tolerate tequila (although she hasn't yet been brave enough to try the 100% agave tequila), so I make a drink for her with just amaretto liqueur, lime juice and ginger ale. I have to admit that it tastes pretty delicious without the tequila, too. Thank you for your interesting comment.

AUTHOR

vespawoolf

5 years agofrom Peru, South America

Just Ask Susan, I'm so glad you enjoyed this information on margaritas! I'd send one to you right now if I could. : ) Thanks for all the votes, share and pin! Have a great weekend.

Elizabeth Parker

5 years agofrom Las Vegas, NV

Good to know. I must admit- I've never been a fan of tequila for many of the reasons you listed. If I ever do seek out to try it again, I'll follow your suggestions in this hub! Very interesting!

rose-the planner

5 years agofrom Toronto, Ontario-Canada

Great article! I agree the worm in the bottle may have been a very bad marketing ploy, lol. OMG..........this looks amazing! Thanks for sharing. (Voted Up) -Rose

Ralph Deeds

5 years agofrom Birmingham, Michigan

Interesting. Well done. I really like Margaritas. Here's a bit of heresy--Try making Margaritas with a good white wine instead of Tequila. I learned that at Juan's Place in Berkeley, California, where they sell wine Margaritas by the pitcher. They taste almost as good, and you can drink several without getting blitzed.

Suzanne Ridgeway

5 years agofrom Dublin, Ireland

Hi Vespa!

What a great hub with interview from your neighbor! The facts Joshua gave of quality Margaritas was interesting, including the worm logic that No self respecting manufacturer is going to put a worm in their Tequila!!

Great tip on getting the salt rim and love the kosher salt and lime mix.

Although not a fan of the drink I LOVE Mexican food and will definitely make this for a special Tex - Mex night, thanks so much for sharing this! Up, useful, interesting, awesome, shared and pinned to drinks!

Fantastic tie in to the Tex Mex culture. In my mind the Blue Agave is a beautiful plant. I come to different conclusions from your Texan, but hey their Mexican food is totally different from ours out here Baja California way.

Jackie Lynnley

5 years agofrom The Beautiful South

I can't drink because of medicines but it sure looks good and the coating of the rim with lime salt I can almost taste! I might try that with my milk, hahaha.

^

NMLady

5 years agofrom New Mexico & Arizona

This is a great write up. I loved the recipes. When I lived in El Paso there was a restaurant that served white wine Margaritas for 99cents on Thursday nights. They also had live musica. I have never found wine margaritas since but I do make them.

Tequila upsets my stomach something fierce.

Susan Zutautas

5 years agofrom Ontario, Canada

I can almost taste the margaritas now! Even though its only 9 a.m. here I could sure go for one now, and that first picture makes me wish I could reach through my computer screen :)

Connect with us

This website uses cookies

As a user in the EEA, your approval is needed on a few things. To provide a better website experience, delishably.com uses cookies (and other similar technologies) and may collect, process, and share personal data. Please choose which areas of our service you consent to our doing so.

This is used to display charts and graphs on articles and the author center. (Privacy Policy)

Google AdSense Host API

This service allows you to sign up for or associate a Google AdSense account with HubPages, so that you can earn money from ads on your articles. No data is shared unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

This is used for a registered author who enrolls in the HubPages Earnings program and requests to be paid via PayPal. No data is shared with Paypal unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Facebook Login

You can use this to streamline signing up for, or signing in to your Hubpages account. No data is shared with Facebook unless you engage with this feature. (Privacy Policy)

Maven

This supports the Maven widget and search functionality. (Privacy Policy)

We may use remarketing pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to advertise the HubPages Service to people that have visited our sites.

Conversion Tracking Pixels

We may use conversion tracking pixels from advertising networks such as Google AdWords, Bing Ads, and Facebook in order to identify when an advertisement has successfully resulted in the desired action, such as signing up for the HubPages Service or publishing an article on the HubPages Service.

Statistics

Author Google Analytics

This is used to provide traffic data and reports to the authors of articles on the HubPages Service. (Privacy Policy)

Comscore

ComScore is a media measurement and analytics company providing marketing data and analytics to enterprises, media and advertising agencies, and publishers. Non-consent will result in ComScore only processing obfuscated personal data. (Privacy Policy)

Amazon Tracking Pixel

Some articles display amazon products as part of the Amazon Affiliate program, this pixel provides traffic statistics for those products (Privacy Policy)